Nigeria

System of government: Federal Republic,
member of the Commonwealth Capital:
Lagos (pop. 3,000,000). The new capital,
Abuja, is under construction Location:
A large western African country adjacent to
the Gulf of Guinea and bordered by Niger,
Benin, Chad and Cameroun Area:
923,768 sq km Population: 86,000,000
National composition: Includes Yoruba,
Hausa, Ibo, Fulani (Fulbe) and Arabs.
Altogether, there are some 260 tribal groups
using almost 250 languages and

dialects Religions: Islamic, Christian,
Animist Official language:
English Currency: naira = 100
kobo Administrative divisions: 19 federal
states and the capital district Other major
cities: Ibadan (pop. 890,000), Ogbomosho
(pop. 480,000) Highest elevation: Dimlang
(2,042 m) in the Adamawa Mountains
Chief rivers: Niger, Benue Climate:
Tropical with high rainfall; drier in the
interior, with hot, dry harmattan winds

The coastal region of this large
African country is low-lying. Its
most distinct physiographical fea-
ture is the vast delta of the River

Niger, which covers some 24,000
square kilometres. The central
area is a plateau rising into moun-
tain ranges fringing the northern
and eastern frontiers. The low-
lying regions are densely forested; the plateau and the foothills are
grassy savannas.

The mainstays of the Nigerian
economy are agriculture and min-
erals. The country is one of the
leading exporters of groundnuts,
cocoa beans and palm-oil. There
are large cotton fields and rubber
tree plantations. Other crops in-
clude plantains, sesame, millet
and fruits. Farmers raise cattle,
sheep and goats from whose skins
fine kid and Morocco leather is
made.

Nigerian mineral resources are
enormous. There are rich land and
continental shelf oil-fields. In fact,
the country is Africa’s largest oil
producer. Especially important is
the mining of tin columbite, zinc,
tantalum and other ores. Forestry
produces much timber and rare
hardwoods such as obeche, abura
and sapele.

The country has a considerable
and steadily growing industrial
potential. The fastest-growing
industries after petro-chemicals
include food-processing, building
materials, timber and wood-
working, and engineering. The
abundance of fossil fuels and a
large hydroelectrical potential
constitute a dependable basis for
the further development of the
national economy.

Nigeria relies on its railways
and roads. There is coastal, river
and international shipping. The
busiest airports are in Lagos and
Kano, and there are also internal
air services. There is an oil pipe-
line terminal at Bonny where
supertankers can anchor.